Chapter 9

           "CanIaskjustonemore?"IpleadedasEdwardacceleratedmuchtooquicklydownthequietstreet.Hedidn’tseemtobepayinganyattentiontotheroad.

           Hesighed.

           "One,"heagreed.Hislipspressedtogetherintoacautiousline.

           "Well...yousaidyouknewIhadn’tgoneintothebookstore,andthatIhadgonesouth.Iwasjustwonderinghowyouknewthat."

           Helookedaway,deliberating.

           "Ithoughtwewerepastalltheevasiveness,"Igrumbled.

           Healmostsmiled.

           "Fine,then.Ifollowedyourscent."Helookedattheroad,givingmetimetocomposemyface.Icouldn’tthinkofanacceptableresponsetothat,butIfileditcarefullyawayforfuturestudy.Itriedtorefocus.Iwasn’treadytolethimbefinished,nowthathewasfinallyexplainingthings.

           "Andthenyoudidn’tansweroneofmyfirstquestions..."Istalled.

           Helookedatmewithdisapproval."Whichone?"

           "Howdoesitwork-themind-readingthing?Canyoureadanybody’smind,anywhere?Howdoyoudoit?Cantherestofyourfamily...?"Ifeltsilly,askingforclarificationonmake-believe.

           "That’smorethanone,"hepointedout.Isimplyintertwinedmyfingersandgazedathim,waiting.

           "No,it’sjustme.AndIcan’thearanyone,anywhere.Ihavetobefairlyclose.Themorefamiliarsomeone’s...’voice’is,thefartherawayIcanhearthem.Butstill,nomorethanafewmiles."Hepausedthoughtfully."It’salittlelikebeinginahugehallfilledwithpeople,everyonetalkingatonce.It’sjustahum-abuzzingofvoicesinthebackground.